COMMANDER DESTROYER DIVISION 222
	Upon his graduation from the Naval Academy on June 6, 1935, Captain Wideman was initially assigned to the U.S.S.  MISSISSIPPI (BB41) then based on the West Coast.  Having completed a normal rotation of duties through May 1938, he was transferred to the U.S.S.  BABBITT (DD128) with his primary duty engineering, through August 1941.      In this same year Captain Wideman was transferred to the U.S.S. OMAHA (CL 4) and as Engineering and Executive Officer took part in the capture and salvage of the German ship Odenwald, which was masquerading as a the S.S.  Wilmoto under a United States flag.  The Odenwald was delivered to the United States at San Juan, Puerto Rico.  While serving as Gunnery Officer aboard the OMAHA, Captain Wideman received orders which brought him to the New Construction in New York in October of 1942.  Here he served in the Capacity of Executive Officer aboard the newly commissioned U.S.S.  BROWNSON (DD 518) in Atlantic and North Pacific waters.      In December of 1943 Captain Wideman was transferred to the staff of COMPHIBLANT as Assistant Training Officer.  The commissioning of the U.S.S.  MEREDITH (DD 890) at Orange, Texas in June 1945 saw Captain Wideman assume his first command until being relieved in January of 1948 at which time he was transferred to the Staff of Commander Opertional Developement Force as Surface ASW Officer, and thence to Surface Anti-Submarine Developement Detachment at Key West in June of 1949.  Serving successively as Planning and Evaluation Officer, Chief Staff Officer, and temporary Commanding Officer SURASDEVDET until March of 1953, Captain Wideman received new orders and on 1 April 1953, relieved Commander Destroyer Division 222.